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Hotel guest numbers rise 9 percent in Abu Dhabi

China and India remain the largest source markets for international visitors to the emirate

By Staff writer

Tue 26 Dec 2017 11:55 AM

A total of 4.3 million hotel guests stayed in Abu Dhabi in the first 11 months of 2017, according to new statistics from the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.

According to the figures, the number represents a 9 percent year-on-year increase, with a total of 4.9 million guests expected to be reached by the end of December.

In November, there was a 16 percent increase in hotel guests compared to the same month in 2016, largely due to the opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Formula 1 Grand Prix.

“While November and Q4 is traditionally a strong period for us, particularly with visitors from Europe, we are still highly encouraged by the sector’s performance during the month and the 16 percent increase in hotel guests across all three regions to number 443,000 guests,” said Saif Saeed Ghobash, the director-general of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.

“The opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi was a monumental event, not only for Abu Dhabi but also for the whole of the country and indeed the region, contributing enormously to our appeal as a ‘must visit’ destination,” he added. “The museum attracted worldwide attention and instantly became a huge draw for domestic and international visitors, which we anticipate will continue for many years to come.

According to official statistics, the museum’s opening on November 11 led to a 32 percent rise in French visitors compared to 2016. The month also saw a 50 percent increase in American guests, a 38 percent increase in Chinese guests, a 36 percent increase in UK guests and a 21 percent increase in German guests.

“We expect a strong Q4 performance to round off a very successful year for Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector,” Ghobash added. “We have challenges to address, such as increasing average length of stay of our guests and the occupancy rate, but we are constantly working on new initiatives and marketing to improve these figures."

China remains Abu Dhabi’s largest overseas source market, with 334,000 Chinese guests staying in the emirate this year, a 63 percent increase which authorities attribute to the lifting of visa restrictions.

India is the second largest supplier of international guests, with approximately 320,000 Indian nationals visiting this year. The UK is Europe’s largest source market, with visitor numbers rising 12 percent to 244,000.